To mark 200 years since Jane Austen's death, the new polymer tenner with her image on it will enter circulation today (September 14).

Just over one billion polymer £10 notes have been printed and they are expected to last at least two-and-a-half times longer than the current paper £10 notes, about five years in total. They are also believed to stay in better condition during day-to-day use.

People can continue to spend the existing paper £10 notes for now. They will be phased out gradually as they are banked.

Legal tender status of the paper £10 featuring Charles Darwin will eventually be withdrawn in spring 2018.

The Bank of England estimates a £10 note would mean about the same to Jane Austen as £1,000 would mean to us today.

She may not even have recognised today's tenner as money because in her time the Bank of England was issuing partly printed notes for completion in manuscript. The £ sign and the first digit were printed, but other details were added by hand. A note could even be issued for uneven amounts.